Main menu

Personal Health

We live in an era of “choices” in every aspect of our lives and they feel infinite. We are flooded with technology that will help us choose the right gadgets or houses to buy, select a restaurant for the weekend or pick the right mate and so on. But when it comes to choosing your health care giver, we usually go with the flow and find ourselves in a doctor’s office chosen (referred) by another doctor. That’s mostly alright, but if you want to be more involved, you should probably start with a directory of doctors that your insurance carrier will provide.

You might be on your own to find the right doctor among that long list.

A new study is searching for a connection between excessive sweating and antidepressants. Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia are conducting a clinical trial and testing the use of glycopyrrolate as a treatment. Excessive sweating can be an embarrassing condition that limits some people’s social interactions.

Excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis may be caused by several medical conditions, but there are instances of people suffering from this problem without any other health issues.

Plasticizers known as phthalates have been found to be associated with lower levels of testosterone that is important for overall health and well-being. According to University of Michigan researchers the finding has public health implications that should be noted by policy makers.

On a recent episode of The Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Oz tackles summer myths and truths such as the oft-repeated peeing on a jellyfish sting advice. The following is a summary of what is a myth and what is real when it comes to summer fun in the great outdoors and how it can affect your health.

Random acts of kindness. That’s the first thing that came to my mind when I first saw this video. Then came irony. A less-positive thought that overshadowed my first as I began to read the comments listed under a YouTube video posted this spring about an eight-year-old boy who selflessly gave up a baseball to another, younger child.

It has been traditionally said that the rigorous schedule of medical students makes them better doctors, but recent research says this is not so. Unfortunately for the medical students it's true that their rates of drug and alcohol abuse, divorce, and suicide have appeared to be unusually high for a long time. Furthermore, medical students are sometimes ruined with allegations by medical professors of having bad attitudes about their professional careers if they complain about their rigorous work schedules and dwindling personal lives. Yet, recent research shows that a kinder, gentler approach to medical students may benefit them greatly.

Just how safe are electronic cigarettes known as “e-cigarettes” by consumers, and who’s regulating their production and sale? According to a recent special report by experts from Consumer Reports on Health, not much about their safety is known. And currently - nobody is overseeing and regulating their manufacture and sale.

A new finding suggests "selfies" are causing an increase in head lice among teens and college students. Researchers have also found there is a cheap and easy way to get rid of lice by using ordinary hair conditioner.

In this month’s Consumer Reports on Health, the editors of an article titled “Do you need an annual checkup” find that when it comes to getting your annual physical exam that it―like many other medical procedures―is not absolutely necessary to ensure good health. In fact, they report that seeing your doctor for an annual exam could shorten your lifespan.